Apparatus for applying adhesive-coated wrappers to cigarettes and similar articles



y 1966 w. RUDSZINAT ETAL 3,250,278

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE-COATED WRAPPERS TO CIGARETTES ANDSIMILAR ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1962 MEANS FOR CREATING PARTIAL VACUUM INVEN TORS WILLY RUDSZ INA T HERBERT BERLIN y 1966w. RUDSZINAT ETAL 7 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE-COATED WRAPPERS TOCIGARETTES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed Dec. 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2MEANS FOR CREATING PARTIALVACUUH souacs 0F COMPRESSED F ig.4

INVENTORS W/LLY RUDSZINAT HERBERT BERLIN their A TTORNEY APPARATUS FORAPPLYING ADHESIVE-COATED WRAPPERS T CIGARETTES AND SIMILAR ARTICLESWilly Rudszinat, Hamburg-Lohbrugge, and Herbert Berlin, Hamburg,Germany, assignors to Haurn-Werke Korber & Co. K.G., Hamburg-Bergedorf,Germany Filed Dec. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 245,882 Claims priority,applicatziitgnsfifrmany, Jan. 2, 1960,

S 11 Claims. (Cl. 131-94) This application is a continuation-in-part ofour application Serial No. 75,772, filed on December 14, 1960, now US.Patent No. 3,099,989 granted on August 6, 1963.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for applyingadhesive-coated wrappers to elongated rod-like articles, and moreparticularly to an apparatus which is especially suited for applyingadhesive-coated wrappers to groups of end-to-end arranged coaxialcigarettes and filter tips, to groups of end-to-end arranged filtertips, to groups of endto-end abutting ci-garillos and filter tips, andto other articles which, either by themselves or together withadditional rod-like articles, constitute tobacco containing products.

It is well known to unite cigarette sticks and filter tips by means ofadhesive-coated wrappers which are applied around the abutting endportions of such articles so that each cigarette stick and therespective filter tip form a filter tip cigarette. It is also known toplace a filter tip of twice its ultimate length between a pair ofcoaxial cigarette sticks, to apply a wrapper around the filter tip andaround the adjacent end portions of the cigarette sticks, and tothereupon halve the resulting article so that one half of the filter tipand one of the cigarette sticks form a first filter tip cigarette andthat the other half of the filter tip and the other cigarette stick forma second filter tip cigarette. However, and insofar as we are informedat this time, all apparatus which are utilized for the appli cation ofadhesive-coated wrappers to end-to-end arranged filter tips andcigarette sticks are without any means which would collect non-appliedwrappers, i.e., which would remove from the apparatus all such wrappersthat, for one or more reasons, failed to meet a group of end-to-endarranged articles and are likely to interfere with the application ofother wrappers if they are permitted to remain in the apparatus. Theproblem of removing non-applied wrappers is especially acute at the timethe apparatus is started and when the rate at which the articles arebeing fed is not always uniform, i.e., it can happen that one or morearticles are missing and that the wrappers which were to be applied tosuch articles will remain in and will soil the component parts of theapparatus.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention toprovide an apparatus for consecutively applying adhesive-coated wrappersto groups of end-to-end arranged articles, particularly to groups whichinclude one or two cigarette sticks and a filter tip, and which isprovided with exceptionally simple and highly reliable means forcollecting all such wrappers that fail to meet a group of articles whilethey are moved through the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the justoutlined characteristics which is constructed and assembled in such away that eventual irregularities in the rate at which individualarticles or groups of end-to-end arranged articles are being fed cannotinterfere with the application of wrappers thereto so that eachindividual article or each group of articles will receive a wrapper evenif the individual articles or groups of articles are not being deliveredat identical intervals. 7 A further object of the invention is toprovide a very simple and reliable apparatus for the application of adhesive-coated wrappers to groups of end-to-end arranged United StatesPatent 0 rod-like articles and to provide in such apparatus improvedsuction-operated means for holding the wrappers prior to theirapplication to the respective groups of articles.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of theabove outlined characteristics'which will apply wrappers to meeting endsof cigarette sticks and filter tips or to groups of similar rod-likearticles with unvarying accuracy irrespective of the rate of speed atwhich wrappers and/or groups of articles are being fed thereto.

Still-another object of the invention is to provide improved wrapperseparating or removing means for use in an apparatus of the aboveoutlined characteristics.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of theabove described type which may be readily installed in conventionalfilter tip cigarette making machines without necessitating any or bynecessitating only minimal adjustments in the construction and/oroperation of such machines.

A further object of our invention is to provide an apparatus which notonly facilitates but which also assists the transfer of consecutivewrappers to consecutive groups of rod-like articles so that the adhesivesubstance applied to one side of each wrapper is assisted in causing thewrappers to adhere to the respective groups of articles.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provisionof an apparatus for consecutively applying adhesive-coated wrappers ofthin paper or the like to elongated rod-like articles, particularly toelongated groups of end-to-end arranged coaxial articles such as acigarette stick and a filter tip or two spaced cigarette sticks and atwin-length filter tip therebetween. The apparatus comprises firstconveying means for advancing the articles in a first elongated path,preferably in such a Way that the articles are equidistant from eachother and that they advance along the periphery of a circle or arc,second conveying means for advancing the wrappers in a second elongatedpath which may be an arcuate or a circular path and a so-called transferportion of which is sufficiently close to the first path to bring aboutcontact between consecutive wrappers and consecutive articles wherebythe wrappers automatically adhere to the respective articles and aretransferred into the first path, this second conveying means comprisinga gas-permeable conveying member having a wrapper-engaging first sideand a second side, advancing means for moving the conveying member alongthe second path, and suction producing means adjacent to the second sideof the conveying memher. The suction producing means comprises a firstand a second section, and these sections are respectively lo catedupstream and downstream of the transfer portion, as seen in thedirection in which the conveying member moves along the second path,whereby the first section holds the wrappers against the first side ofthe conveying member while the wrappers move with the conveying membertoward the transfer portion of the second path, and the second sectionretains at the first side of the conveying member all such wrapperswhich fail to meet an article at the transfer portion. The apparatusfurther comprises wrapper collecting means which is adjacent to thefirst side of the conveying member and to the second section of thesuction producing means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following detailed description of certainspecific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary partly elevational and partly vertical sectionalview of an apparatus which embodies the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary detail view of the apparatus, there being shownonly that part of the apparatus at which consecutive wrappers arenormally caused to ad here to consecutive groups of end-to-end arrangedarticles, one wrapper being shown on its way toward the transfer portionof the path defined by the second conveying means;

FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of FIG. 2, the wrapper being shown in adifferent position after it has failed to meet a group of articles atthe transfer portion of its path; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary partly elevational and partly vertical sectionalview of a modified apparatus.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, and first toFIG. 1,there is shown an apparatus which is utilized for the application ofadhesive-coated wrappers 15 to elongated groups of coaxial filter tipsand cigarette sticks which travel in an elongated arcuate path along theperiphery of a first conveying means here shown as a rotary conveyingdrum I. The peripheral portion 3 of this drum is provided with axiallyparallel equidistant holding means in the form of pockets or grooves 4each of which normally receives a group 5 and each of which communicateswith a radially inwardly extending suction channel 6. These suctionchannels are connected to a suitable means 20 for creating partialvacuum to insure that the groups 5 remain in the respective holdingmeans 4 during their advance toward and past the lowermost point of theconveying drum I, this drum being assumed to rotate in an anticlockwisedirection, see the arrows 21. The direction in which the holding means 4are advanced by the drum I is perpendicular to the longitudinalextensions of the groups 5. I

The apparatus further comprises a second conveying means in the form ofa second rotary conveying drum II whose shaft 22 is mounted in a fixedframe member 23 and is driven in a clockwise direction as indicated bythe arrow 25. The drum II comprises a gas-permeable conveying member ormantle 1 in the form of an elongated strip whose wrapper-engaging orwrapper-supporting outer side causes the wrappers 15 to travel in asecond elongated arcuate or circular path having an upper most portion Uwhich constitutes a transfer portion at which consecutive wrappers 15are normally applied to consecutive groups 5. It will be noted that thetransfer portion U of the arcuate path for the wrappers 15 issufiiciently close to the arcuate path of the groups 5 so that a wrapperreaching the transfer portion is caused to adhere to and is thereuponentrained by the respective group into the first path, i.e., into thepath in which the groups 5 move past the transfer portion, arrow 21.

v The wrappers 15 are formed by a rotary cutting device 2 which isdriven in an anticlockwise direction, arrow 24 (that is, in the samedirection as the conveying drum I for the groups 5 but counter to thedirection of rotation of the second conveying drum II). The cuttingdevice 2 comprises a pair of radially outwardly extending knives 2awhich sever a continuous strip or tape of adhesivecoated paper, thelatter being paid out by a suitable reel which is not shown in thedrawings. It will be readily understood that rotary movements of thedrums I, II and of the cutting device 2 are synchronized in such a waythat the wrapers are being severed from the tape 10 and that suchwrappers are being advanced to the transfer portion U at the same rateof speed at which the holding means 4 deliver consecutive groups 5 tothis transfer portion. The synchronizing mechanism may be mounted be--hind the frame member 23 and forms no part of this invention. Thisframe member also supports the shaft 2b of the cutting device 2 and thenon-illustrated shaft of the drum I.

The conveying member 1 cooperates with a suction producing means toinsure that the wrappers 15 adhere to 4- its outer side while advancingtherewith toward and, in some instances, past the transfer portion Thesuction producing means comprises a stationary suction chamber 9 whichis accommodated in the internal space of the drum II and is adjacent tothe inner side of the conveying member -I. The chamber 9 comprises twofreely communicating sections including a larger first section 26 whichis located upstream of the transfer portion U (i.e., to the left of thisportion, as viewed in FIG. 1) and a smaller second section 11 which islocated downstream of the transfer portion, it being assumed that theshaft 22 of the drum -II serves as a means for advancing the mantle 1 ina clockwise direction which is indicated by the arrow 25.

As shown in FIG. 1, the peripheral portion 3 of the conveying drum I issurrounded by a guide means including a pair of arcuate shields 7, 8which extend toward the opposite sides of the transfer portion U andwhich define with the peripheral portion 3 and arcuate passage 37 forthe groups 5, this passage coinciding with the path in which the groups5 travel toward; along and past the transfer portion.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the apparatusfurther comprises wrapper collecting means which is adjacent to theouter side of the mandle 1 and to the second section 11 of the suctionchamber 9. This wrapper collecting means comprises an inclined scraperblade 12 whose upper edge portion 12a is immediately adjacent to theouter side of the mandle 1 so that it may separate there-from all suchwrappers which are caused to move past the transfer portion At the lowerend of the blade 12, there is provided a receptacle 13 adapted tocollect the Wrappers which descend by gravity along the inclined upperside of the scraper blade. The angular distance between the edge portion12a and the transfer portion U is less than degrees.

It will be noted that the conveying drums I and II are located in asingle vertical plane and that the uppermost point of the lower drum IIconstitutes the aforementioned transfer portion II which is closelyadjacent to the lowermost point of the upper drum I. v

In accordance with a further feature of the invention,

the apparatus comprises a second chamber 14 which is disposed at theinner side of the mantle 1 between the sections 11, 26 of the suctionchamber 9 and which is located opposite the transfer portion Thepressure prevailing in this chamber 14 is higher than the pressureprevailing in the chamber 9 and, as a rule, the chamber 14 communicateswith the atmosphere, for example, through a conduit 14a, so that itsinternal space is maintained at or close to atmospheric pressure.

The apparatus of our invention operates in the following manner:

The advancing means including the shaft 22 moves the conveying mantle 1in a clockwise direction. The suction chamber 9 remains stationarybecause it is secured to the frame member 23. The shaft 22 drives thefront Wall 1a of the conveying drum II which is rigid with the mantle 1.The chamber 9 is communicatively connected with the vacuum creatingmeans 20 by a valved suction conduit 28. The leading end of the tape 10is thereupon placed against the outer side of the mantle 1 so that thetape adheres to the mantle owing to suction prevailing in' the left-handsection 26 whereby the tape is being paid out and advances toward therevolving cutting device 2 whose knives 2a sever therefrom consecutivewrappers 15 which are caused to move along the outer side of the mantle1 toward the transfer portion At this transfer portion, the wrappers arebrought into contact with consecutive groups 5 and are caused to adherethereto to be thereupon entrained into the path of the groups 5 (passage27) and to advance toward the wrapping station, not shown. Since thepressure prevailing in the second chamber 14 is higher than the pressureprevailing in the chamber 9, the adhesive substance coating the exposedsides of the wrappers will cause consecutive wrappers to adhere to andto be entrained by the respective groups of articles. It is assumed thatthe wrappers are being applied to groups of articles each of whichcomprises two cigarette sticks and twin-length filter tip therebetween,and that the width of the wrappers is sufficient to insure that thewrappers adhere substantially tangentially to the entire filter tips andto the adjacent end portions of the respective cigarette sticks, i.e.,the wrappers overlap the respective filter tips so that they mayberolled around the filter tips and around the adjacent end portions ofthe cigarette sticks.

In the event that one of the holding means 4 does not contain a group 5,the corresponding wrapper 15 merely continues to advance along the outerside of the mantle 1 into the range of the suction prevailing in thesecond section 11 of the chamber 9 and is thereupon peeled or scrapedotf the mantle by the edge portion 12a of the inclined blade 12 todescend by gravity into the receptacle 13. This is illustrated in FIGS.2 and 3 the former of which shows a wrapper 15' in a position it assumesat the time its leading edge portion 16 approaches the transfer portionThis wrapper is intended to'adhere to a group 5 which is accommodated inthe holding means 4'; however, since the holding means 4' is empty, thewrapper 15' simply continues to travel along and past the transferportion U and remains at the outer side of the mantle 1 owing to suctionprevailing in the second section 11 of the chamber 9. Since the secondchamber- 14 is assumed to be maintained at atmospheric pressure or at apressure which is slightly less than atmospheric pressure, such pressurecannot cause the wrapper 15' to become separated from the mantle on itsway toward the second section 11. In the position of FIG. 3, the leadingedge portion 16 of the wrapper 15' is already subjected to suctionprevailing in the section 11 so that this leading edge portion passesbeneath the shield 8 and advances toward the scraper blade 12.

It will be readily understood that, no matter how advantageous thesecond chamber 14 might be for satisfactory operation of the apparatus,the provision of this second chamber is an optional feature of ourinvention. Strictly speaking, the transfer portion of the path in whichthe wrappers 15 advance along the outer side of the permeable mantle 1is merely a line which is parallel with the axis of the drum II so that,and particularly if the suction prevailing in the chamber 9 is notstrong enough to prevent adherence of wrappers to the respective groups5, the second chamber 14 may be dispensed with because the adhesiveapplied to the exposed sides of the wrappers is normally strong enoughto overcome the suction and to insure that all such wrappers which meeta group 5 are entrained into the passage 27. The second chamber 14 is ofparticular advantage when the drums I and II are rotated at very highperipheral speeds at which the wrappers 15 could be separated from theouter side of the mantle 1 under the action of centrifugal force. Insuch instances, the valve 29 in the suction conduit 28 is adjusted in asense to reduce the pressure in the first chamber 9 whereby the suctionprevailing in the sections 11 and 26 resists the action of centrifugalforce. However, despite such increased suction, the wrappers areautomatically applied to the respective groups 5 because the pressureprevailing in the second chamber 14 actually assists the adhesivesubstance in bonding the wrappers to the corresponding groups. Ifdesired, the pressure prevailing in the second chamber 14 may beincreased slightly above atmospheric pressure so that the wrappers areactually blown away from the mantle 1 as soon as they reach the transferportion For example the pressure prevailing in the chamber 14 may beincreased to above atmospheric pressure after the apparatus has beenstarted and at a time it is much less likely that a group 5 would bemissing. At any rate,

and provided that the apparatus comprises a second chamber, the pressureprevailing in the chamber 14 should be less than a pressure which wouldinterfere with the application of consecutive wrappers 15 to therespective groups 5.

Owing to the provision of wrapper collecting means 12, 12a, 13, theouter side of the mantle 1 remains clean at all times so that the soleforce which holds freshly severed wrappers against the mantle is thesuction pre vailing in the chamber 9.

The apparatus of our invention is equally elfective if the path of thegroups 5 (see FIG. 4) is a straight linear path as long as the transferportionof the path in which the wrapers 15 advance is sufiiciently closeto the path of the groups 5 to cause the wrappers to adhere to therespective groups. In the apparatus of FIG. 4, the groups 5 advance in astraight linear path on a conveyor 1', and the wrappers 15 are deliveredby the mantle 1' of a drum II. The tape 10 is being paid out by a reel10a and passes along an adhesive applying roller 1% toward a rotarycutting device 2' which severes the wrappers 15. The interior of thedrum II accommodates a suction chamber 9' and a plenum chamber 14 whosefunction is the same as that of the chambers 9, 14. The apparatus ofFIG. 4 also comprises a scraper blade 12' and a receptacle 13'. Thesuction chamber 9 communicates with a vacuum generating device 20' andthe plenum chamber 14 communicates with a source 50 of compressed gas.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featureswhich fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic andspecific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptationsshould and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and rangeof equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated wrappers toelongated rod-like articles, comprising first conveying means foradvancing the articles in a first elongatedpath; second conveying meansfor advancing the wrappers in a second elongated path a transfer portionof which is sufiiciently close to said first path to bring about contactbetween consecutive wrappers and consecutive articles whereby thewrappers adhere to and are entrained by the respective articles intosaid first path, said second conveying means comprising a gas-permeableconveying member having only a single fixed path and a wrapper-engagingfirst side and a second side, advancing means for moving said conveyingmember along said fixed path, and suction producing means adjacent tothe second side of said conveying member, said suction producing meanscomprising a first and a second section respectively located upstreamand downstream of said transfer portion, as seen in the direction inwhich said conveying member moves along said fixed path, whereby saidfirst section holds the wrappers against said first side While thewrappers move with the conveying member toward said transfer portion andsaid second section retains at said first side all such wrappers which,in normal operation of said apparatus, fail to meet an article at saidtransfer portion; and wrapper collecting means adjacent to the firstside of said conveying member and to the second section of said suctionproducing means, said second section extending downstream to saidwrapper collecting means.

2. In an apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated wrappers toelongated rod-like articles, in combination, first conveying means foradvancing the articles in a first elongated path; second conveying meansfor advancing the wrappers in a second elongated path a transfer portionof which is sulficiently close to said first path to bring about contactbetween consecutive wrappers and-consecutive articles whereby thewrappers adhere to and are entrained by the respective articles intosaid first path, said second conveying means comprising a gas-permeableconveying member having only a single fixed path and a wrapper-engagingfirst side and a second side, advancing means for moving said conveyingmember along said fixed path, and suction producing means adjacent tothe second side of said conveying member, said suction producing meanscomprising a first and a second section respectively located upstreamand downstream of said transfer portion, as seen in the direction inwhich said conveying member moves along said fixed path, whereby saidfirst section holds the wrappers against said first side while thewrappers move with the conveying member toward said transfer portion andsaid second section retains at said first side all such wrappers which,in normal operation of said apparatus, fail to meet an article at saidtransfer portion; and means for removing from said conveying member thewrappers retained by said second section of said suction producing meansand said second section extending downstream to said wrapper removingmeans.-

3. An apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated Wrappers toelongated groups of end-t-o-end arranged coaxial rod-like articles,particularly to end-to-end arranged cigarette sticks and filter tips,said apparatus comprising first conveying means for advancing the groupsof articles in a first arcuate path and in a direction substantially atright angles to the longitudinal extensions of the groups of articles;second conveying means for advancing the wrappers in a second arcuatepath a transfer portion of which is sufficiently close to said firstpath to bring about contact between consecutive wrappers and consecutivegroups of articles whereby the wrappers adhere to and are entrained bythe respective groups of articles into said first path, said secondconveying means comprising a gas-permeable conveying member having aWrapper-engaging first side and a second side, advancing means formoving said conveying member along said second path, and suctionproducing means adjacent to the second side of said conveying member,said suction producing means comprising a suction chamber including afirst and a second section respectively located upstream and downstreamof said transfer portion, as seen in the direction in which saidconveying member moves along said second path, whereby said firstsection holds the wrapers against said first side while the wrappersmove with the conveying member toward said transfer portion and saidsecond sectionretains at said first side all such wrappers which, innormal operation of said apparatus, fail to meet a group of articles atsaid transfer portion; and a second chamber located at the second sideof said conveying member intermediate said first and second sections andopposite said transfer portion, the pressure prevailing in said secondchamber being such that wrappers moving along said transfer portion mayadhere to and may be entrained by the respective groups of articles intosaid first path.

' 4. An apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated wrappers toelongated groups of end-to-end arranged coaxial rod-like articles,particularly to end-toend arranged cigarette sticks and filter tips,said apparatus comprising first conveying means for advancing the groupsof articles in a first'arcuate path and in a direction substantially atright angles to the longitudinal extensions of the groups of articles;second conveying means for advancing the wrappers in a second arcuatepath a transfer portion of which is sufficiently close to said firstpath to bring about contact between consecutive wrappers and consecutivegroups of articles whereby the wrappers adhere to and are entrained by'the respective groups of articles into said first path, said secondconveying means ond path, and suction producing means adjacent to thesecond side of said conveying member, said suction producing meanscomprising a suction chamber including a first and a second sectionrespectively located upstream and downstream of said transfer portion,as seen in the direction in which said conveying member moves along saidsecond path, whereby said first section holds the wrappers against saidfirst side while the wrappers move with the conveying member toward saidtransfer portion and said second section retains at said first side allsuch wrappers which, in normal operation of said apparatus, fail to meeta group of articles at said transfer portion; a second chamber locatedat the second side of said conveying member intermediate said first andsecond sections and opposite said transfer portion, the pressureprevailing insaid second chamber being such that Wrappers moving alongsaid transfer portion may adhere to and may be entrained by therespective groups of articles into said first path; and wrappercollecting means adjacent to the first side of said conveying member andto the second section of said suction chamber.

5. An apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated wrappers toelongated groups of end-to-end arranged coaxial rod-like articles,particularly to end-to-end arranged cigarette sticks and filter tips,said apparatus comprising first conveying means for advancing the groupsof comprising a gas-permeable conveying member having a articles in afirst arcuate path and in a direction substantially at right angles tothe longitudinal extensions of the groups of articles; second conveyingmeans for advancing the wrappers in a second arcuate path a transferportion of which is sufficiently close to said first path to bring aboutcontact between consecutive wrappers and consecutive groups of articleswhereby the wrappers adhere to and are entrained by the respectivegroups of articles into said first path, said second conveying meanscomprising a gas-permeable conveying member having a wrapperengagingfirst side and a second side, advancing means for moving said conveyingmember along said second path, and suction producing means adjacent tothe second side of said conveying member, said suction producing meanscomprising a suction chamber including a first and a second sectionrespectively located upstream and downstream of said transfer portion,as seen in the direction in which said conveying member moves along saidsecond path, whereby said first section holds the wrappers against saidfirst side while the wrappers move with the conveying member toward saidtransfer portion and said second section retains at said first side allsuch wrappers which, in normal operation of said apparatus, fail to meeta group of articles at said transfer portion; a second chamber locatedat the second side of said conveying member intermediate said first andsecond sections and opposite said transfer portion; and a source ofcompressed gas connected to said second chamber so that pressureprevailing in said second chamber exceeds atmospheric pressure wherebywrappers moving along said transfer portion are compelled to adhere toand are entrained by the respective groups of articles into said firstpath.

6. An apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated wrappers toelongated rod-like articles, comprising first conveying means foradvancing the articles in a first elongated path; second conveying meansfor advancing the wrappers in a second elongated path a transfer portionof which is sufficiently close to said first path to bring about contactbetween consecutive wrappers and consecutive articles whereby thewrappers adhere to and are en trained by the respective articles intosaid first path, said second conveying means comprising a gas-permeablecon veying member having only a single fixed path and a wrapper-engagingfirst side and a second side, advancing means for moving said conveyingmember along said fixed path, and suction producing means adjacent tothe second side of said conveying member, said suction producing meanscomprising a first and a second section respectively located upstreamand downstream of said transfer portion, as seen in the direction inwhich said conveying member moves along said fixed path, whereby saidfirst section holds the Wrappers against said first side while thewrappers move with the conveying member toward said transfer portion andsaid second section retains at said first side all such wrappers which,in normal operation of said apparatus, fail to meet an article at saidtransfer portion; and Wrapper collecting means adjacent to the firstside of said conveying member and to the second section of said suctionproducing means, said second section extending downstream to saidwrapper collecting means and said wrapper collecting means comprising ascraper blade having an edge portion immediately adjacent to the firstside of said conveying member for separating therefrom wrappers whichare moved beyond said transfer portion.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said wrapper collectingmeans further comprises a receptacle adjacent to said scraper blade,said scraper blade being located in an inclined plane with said edgeportion at the upper end thereof and with said receptacle at the lowerend thereof so that wrappers separated by said edge portion descend bygravity into said receptacle.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second path is acircular path which is located in a vertical plane and wherein saidtransfer portion is located at the uppermost point of said circularpath, the angular distance between said transfer portion and the edgeportion of said blade being less than 90 degrees.

9. An apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated wrappers toelongated groups of end-to-end arranged coaxial articles, particularlyto groups of end-to-end arranged cigarette sticks and filter tips, saidapparatus comprising a first rotary conveying drum having a plurality ofequidistant axially parallel peripheral holding means each of which mayreceive a group of articles, said drum being located in a verticalplane; a second rotary conveying drum having only a single fixed axisand defining an internal space and comprising a gas-permeable mantlehaving a wrapper-supporting outer side and an inner side, said seconddrum being located in a vertical plane beneath and being so closelyadjacent to said first drum that a wrapper supported by the uppermostportion of the outer side of said mantle is caused to adhere to and isthereupon entrained by that group of articles which is received in theholder means momentarily located at the lowermost point of said firstdrum; suction chamber means adjacent to the inner side of said mantle,said suction chamber means comprising a first section located at oneside of the uppermost portion of said mantle and a second sectionlocated at the other side of said uppermost portion, said drums rotatingin opposite directions and said second drum rotating in such directionthat Wrappers supported by the outer side of said mantle first travelalong said first section toward said uppermost portion to adhere toconsecutive groups of articles, and that any wrappers which, in normaloperation of said apparatus, fail to meet a group of articles at saiduppermost portion thereupon travel along said second section to beretained against the outer side of said mantle; and wrapper collectingmeans adjacent to the outer side of said mantle and to the sec ondsection of said suction chamber, said second section extendingdownstream to said wrapper collecting means.

10. An apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated wrappers toelongated rod-like articles, comprising first conveying means foradvancing the articles in a first elongated path; second conveying meansfor advancing the wrappers in a second elongated path a transfer portionof which is sufiiciently close to said first path to bring about contactbetween consecutive wrappers and consecutive articles whereby thewrappers adhere to and are entrained by the respective articles intosaid first path, said second conveying means comprising a gas-permeableconveying member having only a single fixed path and a wrapper-engagingfirst side and a second side, advancing means for moving said conveyingmember along said fixed path, and suction producing means adjacent tothe second side of said conveying member, said suction producing meanscomprising a first and a second section respectively located upstreamand downstream of said transfer portion, as seen in the direction inwhich said conveying member moves along said fixed path, whereby saidfirst section holds the wrappers against said first side while thewrappers move with the conveying member toward said transfer portion andsaid second section retains at said first side all such wrappers which,in normal operation of said apparatus, fail to meet an article at saidtransfer portion, said sections communicating with each other; andwrapper collecting means adjacent to the first side of said conveyingmember and to the second section of said suction producing means, saidsecond section extending downstream to said wrapper collecting means.

11. In an apparatus for consecutively applying adhesivecoated Wrappersto elongated rod-like articles, in combination, conveying means foradvancing the wrappers in an elongated path at a transfer portion ofwhich consecutive wrappers are applied to and are entrained by therespective articles from said path, said conveying means comprising agas-permeable conveying member having only a single fixed path and awrapper-engaging first side and a second side, advancing means formoving said conveying member along said fixed path, and suctionproducing means comprising a first and a second section respectivelylocated upstream and downstream of said transfer portion, as seen in thedirection in which said conveying member moves along said fixed path,whereby said first section holds. the wrappers against said first sidewhile the wrappers move with the conveying member toward said transferportion and said second section retains at said first side all suchwrappers which, in normal operation of said apparatus, fail to meet anarticle at said transfer portion; and wrapper collecting means adjacentto said first side of said conveying member and to said second section,

said second section extending downstream to said wrapper collectingmeans.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,165,144 7/ 1939Lubbock 131-94 2,808,059 10/ 1957 Stelzer 13194 2,866,464 12/ 1958 Stone131-94 X 2,873,719 2/1959 Schubert. 2,8 82,970 4/ 1959 Schur. 2,902,0409/ 1959 Korber et a1 13194 FOREIGN PATENTS 286,421 3/1928 Great Britain.768,489 2/ 1957 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CONSECUTIVELY APPLYING ADHESIVECOATED WRAPPERS TOELONGATED ROD-LIKE ARTICLES, COMPRISING FIRST CONVEYING MEANS FORADVANCING THE ARTICLES IN A FIRST ELONGATED PATH; SECOND CONVEYING MEANSFOR ADVANCING THE WRAPPERS IN A SECOND ELONGATED PATH A TRANSFER PORTIONOF WHICH IS SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE TO SAID FIRST PATH TO BRING ABOUT CONTACTBETWEEN CONSECUTIVE WRAPPERS AND CONSECUTIVE ARTICLES WHEREBY THEWRAPPERS ADHERE TO AND ARE ENTRAINED BY THE RESPECTIVE ARTCALES INTOSAID FIRST PATH, SAID SECOND CONVEYING MEANS COMPRISING A GAS-PERMEABLECONVEYING MEMBER HAVING ONLY A SINGLE FIXED PATH AND A WRAPPER-ENGAGINGFIRST SIDE AND A SECOND SIDE, ADVANCING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CONVEYINGMEMBER ALONG SAID FIXED PATH, AND SUCTION PRODUCING MEANS ADJACENT TOTHE SECOND SIDE OF SAID CONVEYING MEMBER, SAID SUCTION PRODUCING MEANSCOMPRISING A FIRST AND A SECOND SECTION RESPECTIVELY LOCATED UPSTREAMAND DOWNSTREAM OF SAID TRANSFER PORTION, AS SEEN IN THE DIRECTION INWHICH SAID CONVEYING MEMBER MOVES ALONG SAID FIXED PATH, WHEREBY SAIDFIRST SECTION HOLDS THE WRAPPERS AGAINST SAID FIRST SIDE WHILE THEWRAPPERS MOVE WITH THE CONVEYING MEMBER TOWARD SAID TRANSFER PORTION ANDSAID SECOND SECTION RETAINS AT SAID FIRST SIDE ALL SUCH WRAPPERS WHICH,IN NORMAL OPERATION OF SAID APPARATUS, FAIL TO MEET AN ARTICLE AT SAIDTRANSFER PORTION; AND WRAPPER COLLECTING MEANS ADJACENT TO THE FIRSTSIDE OF SAID CONVEYING MEMBER AND TO THE SECOND SECTION OF SAID SUCTIONPRODUCING MEANS, SAID SECOND SECTION EXTENDING DOWNSTREAM TO SAIDWRAPPER COLLECTING MEANS.